Category: Moments, Thoughts, Life

Now I see you!

We all have a past. Some have claims of being victims, some abusers. Our past affects us but it doesn’t need to define us. I admit, I’ve struggled with this concept for years. Asking all the common questions: Why did that happen? How could they do that? Why does this seem fair? Why did it have to happen to me?

I was listening to an interview on YouTube with Johnny Depp and Ricky Gervais. In response to a certain fellow actor, Gervais said, “You know, those actors who live their lives like an open wound!” I had to replay it countless times. What a brilliant description, “Living your life like an open wound.” There is no argument that we are wounded by life. Wounds eventually scab over. If allowed to heal only a scar remains. It’s a reminder of where we came from. If we don’t allow that wound to heal, and continually pick the scab, we will never achieve a scar.

The book of Job in the Bible is a complicated book. Job loses everything, his friends come to aid him, but their message is a bit messed up, in the end God straightens Job out and Job responds to God with this simple statement:

“Before, I had only heard of You. NOW my eyes see you!”

I clearly remember the day that those words began to heal my scabs. I now have scars. I’ve earned them. They are a constant reminder of where I came from. Most of all, they are a symbol of the day I stopped hearing about Him … and realized I could SEE HIM!

Isaiah 54:17 – another fact

Fear not – Only believe that

No weapon formed against me is prospering;

and every tongue that accuses me is already condemned.

This is the birth right of the children of the LORD,

and my vindication is from God”

Once we begin to look at these promises as facts, their meanings come alive.

Faulty Systems

I was unaware of how much faith I had in the systems in our world. If you would have asked me, “Do you think you are controlled by the world’s systems?” I would have most likely said NO! But that was far from my actions. When our battle with Bank of America began, I felt constantly defeated because their system was faulty and I played the victim role very well.

Social Services, IRS, Social Security, Banks, Lawyers, Credit Cards, Credit Rating, Billing Departments; I knew these were faulty systems, yet I continue put faith in them to provide solutions. “If they just do this______, then it will all work out!” When they failed to be able to do ________, I would be crushed, angered, and feel hopeless.

My faith is now in God. It doesn’t matter if Bank of America ever gets it right, my faith is in God. Social Services may never make the right decisions, it won’t really matter if my faith is in God. The Lawyers could fight for years, it won’t matter in the end because my faith is in God.  Again I am brought back to: Fear not – Only believe!

Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.

And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,

nor will the flame burn you.

We are never promised that in our life, we will not experience difficult times. That is the superficial American Dream that has infiltrated Christianity. We are however, promised again and again that we are not expected to go through it alone. Isaiah 43:2 really says this:

When you pass through the water,

fear not – only believe that I will be with you.

And through the rivers,

fear not – only believe that they will not over take you.

When you walk through the fire,

fear not – only believe

that you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.

It’s a fact, not a promise. All that is asked of us is to fear not – only believe!

Fear not – Only believe

I’m beginning to think that every verse, every story in the Bible is there in order to help us  Fear not – Only believe.

What is the opposite of this statement; Fearful and full of unbelief. That is where most of us live. I had a really big house smack dab in the center of town! It’s not possible to be fearful and believe. It’s impossible to fear not and not believe. It is our beliefs that conquers our fears.

Fear is Satan’s greatest, and may be his only real attack on the human mind. We fear everything. You cannot have a conversation without someone saying, “I afraid…” or “My concern is…” No matter how we soften the word, what we are saying is: “I AM FEARFUL!”

If we were given no other instruction, these four words are sufficient. In them is happiness, contentment, and peace. It translates to any and every situation. It is the foundation on which the rest of our lives can be built. It is true freedom! Fear not – only believe! 

It’s a fact not a promise!

When I hear the word promise, I immediately process it in a future tense. “I promise to…” means that in the future this will happen. I blame this on its definition, which points to the future.  I have read most of the Bible promises in the same way…it will happen in the future.

When I started looking at Bible promises as facts, they came alive!  Matthew 6:28 is the famous “Consider the Lilies of the field” text. If it is read as a promise, it says that some day God will provide all your daily needs. Forcing us to think there is something we have to do to get to the place where He will begin to supply.

When I read it as a fact, the entire picture changes. “Be anxious for nothing! God provides all your needs!”  So let’s check that off our list! All that is required of me – is to not worry. How is it possible that I need not worry about my daily needs? Because God provides them.  It’s a fact!

It’s a challenge to begin thinking this way. But once I did it, it became contagious. In a very measurable way, I stopped living in the future. Who needs to look to the future? If only 50% of the promises in the Bible are actually facts, it will take a lifetime to comprehend.